San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-02-01

His real name is Charles B. Lewis, and
he was born at Liverpool, Ohio, on the
10Th of February, 1874. He was only
eight years old when his parents moved
to Lansing, Michigan. Here he attended
the Union school, and spent year in an
agricultural college, after which he went
to work in the printing Office of the
Lansing Democrat A bright boy can
pick up wonderful amount of informs.
ton in newspaper office, and young
Lewis doubtless availed himself of the
opportunity.
Then came the war, and a sudden call
for men to fight for their country's flag
Lewis was enthusiastic in the Union
cause, and it is said that he was the first
man in Lansing to be enrolled as a volun-
teer. He joined the Sixth Michigan
cavalry, and served through the war,
creditably, though without gaining
special distinction. After Lees surren.
der, his regiment was ordered to Fort
Bridger, Utah. and before it was muster
ed out in the following year. it took part
in some stirring Indian fighting.
His military experience over, Lewis
returned to Lansing and to his work up
on the Democrat After a couple of
years he heard of better position in
the South, and, wrapping his assets in
bundle, he started of to seek his fortune;
which he found, though in very unex-
pected way.
Arrived at Cincinnati, he took passage
Il Nl,sah LII. Al
Magnolia. Now in those days the racing
prOpensities of the steamboat captains
were developed to dangerous extent.
The Magnolia had reputation TO keep
up, as she was accounted the fastest boat
on the river. Another steamer had got
off with few miles start Of her, and she
set out to catch her rival, or Dust" in
the attempt She did both, at exactly
the same moment.
Lewis had the misfortune to be near
the boiler when the explosion occurred;
and few minutes later he was gathered
up, with battered limbs and shattered
hopes, from among the wreckage. But
his vitality was strong, and, after hard
experience in a Cincinnati hospital, he
regained his health
This accident was so discouraging that
Lewis abandoned his invasion of the
South. His spirit of enterprise, how
ever, was not wholly quenched, as his
first action on recovering was one against
the steamboat company, whom he sued
for heavy damages, and with so much
energy that the company was obliged to
pay out twelve thousand dollars as
peace offering.
Lewis now returned to Michigan. and
wor ked upon small paper called the
JdcksOnidR, of Pontiac. One day he set
up from the case, without copy, an
article describing the sensations which
he felt while progressing sideways
through the air, as he put it, immedi-
ately after the bursting of the Magnolia's
boiler. The article was headed How 1t
Feels to be Blown Up" and signed M
Quad, because, as the modest writer
remarked, "a bourgeois EN- quad is use
less except in Its own line--it won't
justify with any other type" The hu.
NOR of this effusion was so taking that
II was copied by newspapers all over the
country. and IN. Quad found himself
suddenly famous.
He was offered position on the De-
trott Free Press, which was not then, as
now, paper of national reputation. BE
accepted, and it is said that his first
''screed" in his new paper was humor-
GUS description of dog fight which he
witnessed on his way from the depot.
He was detailed to look after the local
and criminal news, and here he struck
one Of the bright ideas which have made
him and his paper so widely popular
While chronicling the daily incidents,
tragic and comic, Of the Detroit police
courts. he originated the famous articles